The Green Bay Packers and the NFL Foundation Grassroots Program have awarded a $100,000 grant to the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation to install an artificial turf field at Washington High School of Information Technology, the team announced today.
The grant from the Packers, the NFL Foundation, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is part of $6 million in field refurbishment awards allocated this year through the program nationwide.
Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 organization that works to make a positive impact on Milwaukee Public Schools students, families, and community by ensuring high quality, engaging, and equitable educational experiences across the district. The Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation will match the grant and is committed to the ongoing maintenance of the athletic field.
Washington High School of Information Technology (WHS) is located in the heart of the Sherman Park neighborhood at the corner of Sherman Boulevard and Center Street. Funding from the NFL Foundation Grassroots program will be used to help finance the cost of the new artificial playing field at the school and will support the creation of a first-rate, multipurpose athletic field to serve WHS students as well as the broader community.
The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program – a partnership between the NFL Foundation and LISC, the nation's leading community development support organization – has supported the construction or renovation of 416 football fields nationwide since 1998. During that time, the NFL Foundation has granted nearly $58 million to revitalize playing fields in underserved neighborhoods. Fields are newly built or significantly renovated, with improvements such as irrigation systems, lights, bleachers, scoreboards, goal posts and turf. Grassroots grants are issued once established funding thresholds are reached for each project.
LISC identifies local, nonprofit, community-based agencies that have an interest in building or refurbishing football fields in schools and neighborhood parks. Through the program, local agencies are provided with the necessary financing and technical assistance to improve the quality and safety of fields in their communities. The agencies oversee the construction, maintenance and programming of the fields.
"Outdoor recreation, and the health benefits that come with it, is in high demand throughout the country," said Beverly Smith, LISC's vice president of Sports & Recreation. "These field improvements in Milwaukee – like all of those that the Grassroots Program has established over the years – will provide opportunities for young people to compete in a safe, structured environment."
About the NFL Foundation:
The National Football League Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation and its members, the 32 NFL clubs, support the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football, and the communities that support our game. For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit: www.NFLFoundation.org
About LISC
LISC is one the country's largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. We work with residents and partners to close systemic gaps in health, wealth and opportunity and advance racial equity so that people and local economies can thrive. Since our founding, LISC has invested $24 billion to create more than 436,320 affordable homes and apartments, develop 74.4 million square feet of retail, community and educational space. For more, visit www.lisc.org
